In September 2005, ADEQ inspectors discovered that the Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems facility in Kingman, an FAA-certified repair and overhaul station for aircraft wheels and brakes, was operating two natural gas-fired hazardous waste thermal treatment units without the required hazardous waste treatment permit.

Owens stated, “Arizona’s hazardous waste laws and regulations were established for protection of the public and the environment. This penalty reflects the serious nature of the violations at Honeywell’s Kingman facility."

ADEQ issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Honeywell Kingman on November 15, 2005, for thermally treating its hazardous waste without a permit, failing to submit signed manifests, failing to properly label each container and tank as hazardous waste, failing to inform employees of proper handling and emergency procedures and failing to comply with personnel training requirements.

ADEQ also found that Honeywell was underreporting its hazardous waste, inaccurately classifying it as solid waste by applying an incorrect regulatory limit for the cadmium, an element that may irritate the digestive tract, cause kidney disease, and damage the lungs. Cadmium stays in the body and can build up from many years of exposure to low levels.